Aron Johannsson: Going back to Aarhus

MNTMar 24, 2015

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Aron Johannsson when the USA takes the field against Denmark. The 2014 FIFA World Cup veteran spent four years (2010-2013) with Danish Superliga club AGF Aarhus, which plays its home matches at NRGi Park, the site of Wednesday’s match. The forward said that playing there was instrumental in his development as a soccer player.

“That was my first club as a professional soccer player and it had a huge influence on my career. Maybe if I hadn’t gone there, who would know where I would be today?”

In 65 games with AGF, Johannsson scored 23 goals, and in 2011 he played a big part in the team’s promotion to the Danish Superliga. The 24-year old views this as a return to his roots and is excited to take the field in a familiar setting, and share the city and the experience with his teammates.

“For me personally it’s a really nice city. I hope [my teammates] are going to enjoy it. Obviously it’s not a 10 million-person city, but it’s just a nice small city and it was very nice to live there. I can’t wait to be back.”

It will not be the first time Aarhus will welcome in a familiar American face. Former U.S. MNT midfielder Benny Feilhaber also played for AGF (2008-11) and started in his own Danish homecoming match the last time the USA played at NRGi Park in 2009.